Floor structure



Feb. 23, 1954 H. D. FENSKE 2,670,060

FLOOR STRUCTURE Filed NOV. 15, 194'? HARRY o fig- 2 TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 23, 1954 FLOOR STRUCTURE Harry D. Fenske, Dearborn, Mich., assignor to National Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application November 15, 1947, Serial No. 786,198

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in metal structural elements, relating more particularly to steel structural members especially useful for constructing floors over which freight is moved or upon which it is stored, such as floors for freight cars, trucks, warehouses and the like.

Recently, attempts have been made to replace with steel flooring elements the heavy wooden planking forming the conventional floor surface of a freight carrying conveyance or of a storage building; because wooden floors Wear excessively, they are expensive to repair or replace and in many instances they do not possess the desired strength. Such attempts have been only partially successful, however; for serious difficulties have been encountered.

Obviously, steel floor elements have presented a problem in so far as nailing blocks in place is concerned or in nailing guide rails, frame members, etc. to the floor in accordance with the enstomary practice for preventing freight from shifting undesirably, Consequently, it has been proposed to use freight car floors of a composite construction formed of steel having wooden inserts. Such floors have not been suitably dependable to haul all kinds of freight and the Wooden inserts must be replaced often, which is objectionable. In addition, such composite floors are expensive to manufacture and install.

Whether the car flooring consists of the composite construction mentioned or is of an allsteel construction, the floor tends to become dangerously slippery. This unfortunate tendency is accentuated when oil, water, fine freight, etc. are spilled on the door, not to mention the polishing effect of the wheels of hand trucks, loading de vices and the like. As a result, steel floors attain a very low coefficient of friction so that the angle of repose of an article or load carried by the floor is necessarily small] Consequently, resistance to shifting or sliding is Slight causing the load to move about undesirably on the slightest pro ocation. Such shifting is particularly undesirable for floating loads: that is, loads which are permitted to move in a limited manner relative to the conveyance. Accordingly. on former steel floors it has been most difiicult to block or other pally due to the dropping of heavy articles upon the floor or to the action of heavily loaded lift trucks which are driven upon it. Such dishing is, of course, undesirable for among other things it makes the floor uneven so that loading and unloading becomes difiicult. It makes proper removal of fine ladings very difficult and it damages the floor members as well as causing undue wear and corrosion thereof.

It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a meta1 structural element especially useful as a floor member,

which element is markedly stronger than comparable elements without having an appreciably increased metal content. Accordingly, the present structural element can withstand hard usage without requiring repair or replacement but is economical to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide erally channel-shaped steel floor member having" a load-bearing panel containing strengthening indentations or depressions filled with a wear resistant non-metallic substance so that the floor.

member not only is strengthened but at the same time presents a smooth durable non-skid surface and is therefore considerably safer, particularly in connection with the storing and moving of freight which necessarily subjects a floor to heavy loads, hard usage and to the damaging action of oil, water, sand and many other corrosive or abrasive materials. Still another object of the invention is to pro vide a floor composed of a plurality of floor members of the aforementioned general character and to provide such members with a structure permitting them to be placed side by side conveniently and effectively but spaced from each other to provide grooves or openings for receiving nails. strengthened. structure it is adapted to withstand its load without support from adjacent members so that the floor not only remains smooth but dishing is almost entirely avoided. As a consequence, the nail receiving grooves do not spread and are not otherwise deformed so that their effective operation is not impaired or prevented by dishing of the floor members as has often been the case heretofore.

Since each floor member possesses a Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved metallic nailable interior surface for freight conveyances or the like in which nailing grooves, as well as indentations or depressions in the load-bearing surface, are filled with a mastic or cementitious material rendering the freight conveyance suitable for carrying all kinds of ladingsincluding loose or unpackaged cargoes "such as grain; sand, etc. without loss through cracks, grooves, nailholes, split structural elements and the like; and to provide a surface possessing and retaining a relatively highcoefficient of friction as compared with slippery all-metal surfaces or composite:- metalzl and: wooden surfaces, so that flo'ating loads mayfibe .a

conveyed effectively and safely and other loads may be securely blocked orefastened-in...placle.

more conveniently and easily.

Other objects and advantages of the r.present invention are in part obvious and will in part appearcfromthe following;,detailed description.

and appended claims. taken..=in. connection- :with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure-.- l is a horizontal, fragmentary, crosssectional view-:- of a freight car embodyingthepresent invention.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of a portion of the. floor:;structure of the freightcar illustrated in. Figure l and is taken alongtheline 2-2 of. Fig: ure l in;the direction of'thearrows.

Intzthe drawings, there -is-illustrated-. .a-freight car of: the .box-type having a: floor structure. constructed'iin accordance with thepresent. inrenti'onr. Thisgfloorstructure :isushow-n as .a whole at-llx Except for the-structure of the floor, which isugde'scribed fin-'rdetail hereinafter, the structure of: the boxcarillustrated; is. 'welL-known and, in fact, constitutes a standard-type of car in widespread: ruse. Accordingly, there is. :illustrated in the drawings only that portion-.of thecars struc--. ture which is located-adj acent. to or supportsthe floor or is otherwise directly related thereto.

Referring. 'to Figure- '1; the. boxcar. partially illustrated 'includes a pair of longitudinally-em. tendingside sangle members-wand H- These angle membersaresupported by -,cross-bearers or cross-beams (not shown) spaced at intervals throughout the lengthof thecar; Thecrossbeams or cross-bearers' are joined-to and extend laterallyfrom' a central longitudinal sill. member 25""and'rest uponisuitable sillsor other=structural members includ'ed'zin' theribasic I framework --of the car, which framework carries-the wheels .andother-operating parts and-mechanisms:

The reference numeral- I2 designateszmetallic sheathing; preferably in the form :of panelswhich comprise the -:so-called skin iplatesaformingathe outerside Walls 'of' the car; The metallicsheath t ing or plates are secured in place rby -beingweldefd or otherwise firmly attached-to the uprighttle'gs of "the angle members -13 and H; Preferably, they-are also'attach'ed' -to the cross-bearers and to the sills or other structural members support= ing the'cross-bearers.'- At the corners of the car, the wall plates- 12 are secured toanupright'angle member I3 having flanges I4 and I5 righ -angularlyturned from the outer 'marginof each ofits legs; One of these flanges-is =utiliz'ed-to'provi'de a suitable surface for attaching the sheathing 12 to the angle member. The other flangeisuti: lized, to provide a similar. attaching'surface for metal sheathing or, plates l5 comprisingthe outer endswalloftheear... Thesheathing .or. platesll 6 areesecured -in .placein a..manner similarrto. the sheathing or plates l2, preyiously.mentioned,.-and

4 the angle members l3 are welded or otherwise firmly secured to the frame of the car so that the sheathing i2 and I6 and the angles l3 provide a rigid wall structure enclosing the interior of the car. A curved cover plate I1 having a rounded corner is attached to the sheathing l2 and [6 at the corners of the car in order to reinforce the structure'and "to concealathe-angl member's I3.

The reference numeral l8"designatesan inner wooden side wall or lining which is spaced from the outer metallic wall I2 and is held in place by suitablewstuds or upright supporting members spaced at intervals, two such studs being shown at 2El-and 2 I The end wall of the car also is provided *witli a'wooden inner wall or lining l9 placed directly-against the outer metallic end wall lfia. Thewoodenzinner wall or lining I8, 19 preferably rests upon suitable supports such as th'e side'anglemembers ill and H and may be reinforced if desired. For example, corner pieces 2 2 may3i-be utilized.

Referring in detail.to. the:structure ofithezfibqm 9, one-ofthe structural. memberszformin saipart" of thefioor'is indicated generally at 2]; an

' cludes' a surface panel i'or plate 2s -provided with apairrof depending :downturned webs 3fl and- 39, one of which" extends" along the margiri oF-each side --of the panel; Flanges 32 and 33 extendin= wardly from' the lower 5 or "proj ecting: marginal:

edgeof each of theweb'sl 3ll and. 3 l th'atis' f1omthe edge removed from the panel'29j so that the structural member -213 is generally' cliannl shaped. Intermediate the depth of" 'each of th?- webs. 39- and 3|, thereis'a corrugation extending; along its --length.' Each corrugation i spaceds from the panel 29 so that a' 'straight"portion ispresented by the -web extending from-thepanel to the corrugation? The corrugation in-one-0fthe webs extends inwardly whereas the corruga=- tion in'the other-web extendaoutwardl'yk cordingly, both corrugations "are concave-convex in shape; but one provides a concave indentatior'r inthe outer surface of the web; whereasthe'oth'er presents a .convex ridge therein? In the 'parti'cu' lar, form of the invention illustratedftheinden tationis formed in" the web-30 "and the ridge'in the web 3 I As best shown in Figure lj th'e'floor is composed of a plurality'of :the structural membersfl. which extend transversely across 'the. Widthiofthe freight car. .TheSe'membersJarezarrangedside by' side; in :a .contiguous manner "but; adjacent" members are spaced apart somewhat to provide a transverse groove or, slotbetween each painof the members. A fi,-best shown. in- Figure 2,.th'e members 21. are so positioned'thatan indentation or inwardlyv bent corrugationinbne. web} such as thecorrugatiOn .in the :web 30, mates .with':.a complementaryridg'e or outwardlygbent corrugas tion in the adjacent member. 2,1, such as the ridge, in the web .34. It. will be observed that thetirL-ldentation. possesses a somewhat larger -radiusof curvature than .does the ridge.- Flurthermore the construction. and arrangement is such that eachset. of. matinggridges land.indentationsvis. curvi-t. linearly. parallel causing the widtlrof: each. groove or. slot between adjacent members .21 to. be substantially: uniformthroughout its. depth. Pref.-. er-ably, this ,width is approximately. equal: :to the thickness of a nail. Thus, a nailmaybedriven into the groove. and .be bent ondeformedqfor clinching it.. Thegroove is adapted to maintainthe nail normal toe-the surface-ofthefloor and the; plurality of. :such groove .-provides ready and convenient means fornailing; fasteningoules taining elements to the floor, such for instance, as the block 35. In order that the freight c0nveyance containing the floor 9 may be used to haul fine freight such as grain, sand, or unpackaged materials without danger of loss, the nailing grooves are filled with a relatively soft, mastic or gummy material 49 acting as a sealant but which i adapted to receive a nail.

One end of each of the contiguous floor members 21 rests upon one of the side rails or angle members It or I l. The floor members 21 are also supported by longitudinal frame members 23 as well as by the central longitudinal sill member 25. The frame members 23 are preferably Z-shaped and are supported by the cross-beams or cross-bearers (not shown) forming a part of the car frame and mentioned hereinbefore. The reference numerals 26 and 28 designate a pair'of wooden strips disposed between the central sill member 25 and the floor members 21. It is preferable to fasten the floor members directly to supporting frame members, such as the members 23 and the, sill 25, but it is sometimes necessary to use fillers such as the strips 26 and 28 in order to provide a level floor while utilizing the previously constructed framework of the car. The strips 26 and 28 may be formed of steel and welded to the floor members 21. Each end'of each member 21 may be riveted to the angle members in or H while its intermediate portion may be welded to one or more of the 'Z-shaped supports 23. It will be noted that each member 21 is attached to its support independently of its adjacent member. Thus, such members are easy to repair or replace.

The increased strength of the present floor members 21 prevents dishing or deformation thereof especially at the panel portion 29. Consequently, the nail receiving grooves are not spread or otherwise distorted by such dishing and remain fully operative throughout the useful life of the fioor members. If necessary, the floor members can be secured together to strengthen the floor 9 especially to make it more rigid and resistant to swaying or buckling longitudinally of the conveyance. For instance, bridge-Welds may be used at spaced points along the top of each nailing groove to secure the floor members to each other. However, when the floor members 21 are not physically attached to each other, except for the mastic material or the like filling the nailing groove, the strengthened structure of each member 21 causes it to resist dishing. Accordingly, in this case, too, the nail receiving grooves do not spread and are not distorted.

The outer or load-bearing surface of the panel 29 forming a part of each floor member 21 is provided with a plurality of indentations or de pressions 36 herein sometimes referred to as reinforcing ribs. In the form of the invention illustrated, these indentations and depressions are somewhat elongated, that is, they are relatively long as compared with their width. The indentations or depressions 38 are provided with a round or semi-circular contour in cross-section but possess upwardly inclined converging end walls which meet to provide a rounded end point smoothly merging into the surface of the panel 29. The indentations or depressions 36 are spaced from each other longitudinally throughout the length of each member 21, the major axis of each indentation running transversely of the member 21. In fact, these major axes arer'i'ght angularly disposed relative to. the longitudinal axis of the member 21. Therefore, "the depres sion's'or indentations 36 are not only arranged; in a contiguous manner, but they are parallel to";

each other.

It should be understood that the aforementioned arrangement of the indentations or de-' pressions 36 disposes the major'axes thereof at right angles relative to the parallel longitudinalaxes of the webs 30 and 3|. As a result, the mem bers 21 are strengthened against longitudinal deformation of the panels 29 inasmuch as the transversely extending depressions 3B stoutly resist such deformation. Thus, the severe loading imposed by wheels of lift trucks or the like running on the panels 29 in order to cross the width The webs 30 and 3| provide ample strength for resisting of the floor 9 do not dish the floor.

transverse deformation of the member 21 if lift trucks are run lengthwise of the boxcar or if such transverse loading is otherwise imposed.

axes of the depressions 36 could run obliquely relative to the longitudinal axes of the webs 39 and 3|, and the depressions or indentations do not necessarily have to be parallel although it i.

is more practical to so arrange them. Also, the

shape of the depressions or indentations 36 could differ from that illustrated provided that the surface of the panel 29 is kept smooth. Principally because of the elongated shape of the" vmember 21, it is much better to provide a some what elongated indentation or depression 39 sothat it may extend across substantially all ofa the width of the panel 29 in order to strengthen.

the panel more effectively.

The depressions or indentations 36 are filledwith an initially moldable non-metallic, mastic.

surfacing material adapted to set or harden into a durable rock-like product. These depressions.

or indentations are filled flush with the surface of the panel 29 to provide a smooth, planar surface for each floor member 21 and for the floor 9.

as the bonding agent a bituminous, aqueous emulsion containing an emulsifying agent as well as colloidal clay and asphalt. This bonding agent is preferably painted on or otherwise applied to, the walls of the depressions or indentations 36' prior to filling them with the moldable material itself. The latter may comprise a graded light-' weight cellular burned argillaceous, chemically inert aggregate, such as siloxide rock or a volcanic ash. The asphaltic base may be a prod uct similar to the bonding agent; that is, a bituminous, aqueous colloidal clay but, unlike the bonding agent, also containing a non-mineral fibre. The setting powder may be air entrained cement blended with other cement powders, such for example as a Portland puzzolan-type cement.

The ingredients mentioned may be mixed with water to form a mortar-like product which can tion 36.

has been employed successfully as the filling 1 material for the depressions or indentations fl."

The mastic products mentioned above provide" One suitable material comprises an as-v phaltic bonding agent, an inert aggregate, an asphaltic base, and a cementitious setting agent, More particularly, I have successfully employed emulsion containing a."

the length of the webs for deforming and retaining nails driven into the nailing slots, a plurality of closely spaced depressed reinforcing ribs formed in the freight engaging face of each panel, the ribs extending transversely of the length of the panel and substantially from web to web, a settable initially moldable material filling the depressions in the freight engaging faces presented by the reinforcing ribs to form a substantially plane surface on the panels of the structural members, the moldable material having a rock-like quality when set with the exposed surface thereof having a relatively high coefficient of friction, the faces of the panels and the entrances to the nailing slots being exposed for engaging freight and for receiving nails for blocking the freight, respectively, and a closure means of mastic material closing the entrance to each nailing slot along the length of the nailing slot at substantially the level of the surface of the floor.

HARRY D. FENSKE.

10 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 848,075 Wainwright Mar. 26, 1907 1,622,104 Fulton Mar. 22, 1927 1,681,073 Welcome Aug. 14, 1928 1,900,541 Buelow et a1 Mar. 7, 1933 1,965,026 Bell July 3, 1934 1,967,620 Kahn July 24, 1934 2,030,515 Kraner Feb. 11, 1936 2,061,825 Bly Nov. 24, 1936 2,062,843 Strand Dec. 1, 1936 2,068,995 Rodwell Jan. 26, 1937 2,084,853 Marks June 22, 1937 2,106,390 Crane Jan. 25, 1938 2,180,317 Davis NOV. 14, 1939 2,216,250 Nelson Oct. 1, 1940 2,261,831 Farr et al Nov. 4, 1941 2,294,550 Greulich Sept. 1, 1942 2,472,100 Fair, Jr. June 7, 1949 OTHER REFERENCES Railway Age, May 31, 1947, page 7. 

